Dan Holden

Happy local democracy day, all! 🗳 The mandatory reminder to get out and vote today if you can (and to bring your photo ID). Local government and metro mayors are responsible for the services and investment that often have the biggest impact on our daily lives, so don't miss the chance to make your voice heard. As someone who has had a ringside seat for over 14 years of northern devolution, I'm especially excited about the results of the mayoral elections - the first time that every metro mayor in the country is up for election at once. As a Wakefield resident, of course I'll be taking a keen interest in the West Yorkshire mayoral election, but the other ones I'll be paying extra attention to are: ☑ York and North Yorkshire - today is the first time that residents of York and North Yorkshire will get to elect a metro mayor, responsible for £540m of investment in areas including transport, brownfield regeneration and net zero. York politics have always been a rollercoaster (I worked with Labour, Conservative, Conservative-Lib Dem and Lib Dem-Green administrations over a 10-year period) but the formerly solid Conservative North Yorkshire has also become much more interesting in recent years. I'm not a betting gal anyway, but I can't call this one... ☑ Tees Valley - I grew up in Middlesbrough and Teesside will always be the place I'll call home, so I'll be keeping a close eye on this mayoral race, which will be incumbent, Ben Houchen's, third run at re-election. He got a stonking majority the last time around, but concerns around the huge Teesworks regeneration scheme and Freeport, mass shellfish die-offs along the Teesside coast and the national political context mean third time might not be the charm for Lord Houchen of High Leven. ☑ Another first is the North East mayoral election. The North and South areas of the Tyne were unable to reach an agreement on a combined devolution deal for years, until the government put a deal on the table that all parties could unite around. The previous North of Tyne Combined Authority will become part of a wider North East Combined Authority stretching from Durham up to the tip of Northumberland. This is widely seen as a two-horse race between the incumbent North of Tyne Mayor, Independent, Jamie Driscoll, and Labour's Kim McGuinness, who currently serves as Northumbria's Police and Crime Commissioner. I suspect McGuinness will edge it, but Driscoll has amassed significant support after he didn't make Labour's candidate shortlist for the new North East role. Of course, today's hot takes are tomorrow's digital chip paper, and whoever ends up victorious tomorrow must turn immediately to the job of delivering for communities, bringing forward investment and fighting for their places on the national stage. I'll end with a shout-out to the many public servants who are grafting behind the scenes to make today's elections happen. You are the unsung heroes of our democracy! Social

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Convention Edinburgh - Edinburgh Convention Bureau has partnered with Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce to showcase the power of business events for the city. At an inaugural partnership event - ‘Why business events matter: the economic power and impact of events’ - on Tuesday 30th April at the EICC, speakers from across Edinburgh’s events, technology, and academic sectors will discuss how a collaborative cross-sector approach can pay dividends for the city. The speakers lined up for the event are Prof. Gary Hutchison of Edinburgh Napier University, Turing Fest’s Tannya Gaxiola, and Lesley Williams, Director at Caellium and former Managing Director of Best Cities. Marshall C. Dallas Dallas, EICC CEO, said: “We’re excited to partner with the Chamber of Commerce, and we fully expect next week’s event to be insightful given the calibre of speakers we have in place. Importantly, it also reflects on the shared passion we have for Edinburgh and how business events can have an outsized benefit towards local economic impact.” VisitScotland’s Business Events Association Report in March revealed that business event visitors to Scotland spend more per head than any other kind of visitor, with an International delegate spending approximately £450 per day. By contrast, leisure visitors from Scotland’s highest-value international market, the USA, spend around £180 per day according to latest data.   The EICC took on the guardianship of Convention Edinburgh on behalf of the The City of Edinburgh Council in May 2022, with a remit that includes attracting conferences and events to Edinburgh, supporting city bids, and assisting event bookers during the destination and venue selection process for their conferences. During this time, Convention Edinburgh has received over 400 enquiries, confirming 60 events which will attract over 21,000 delegates to the city, equating to £47 million of economic impact.  Amanda Wrathall, Lead at Convention Edinburgh said: “The small but agile team we put together for Convention Edinburgh has done a fantastic job over the last couple of years, with their performance reflected in the positive numbers that have come through. Credit must also go to the multiple city partners who have supported and contributed to the business event outcomes to date.” Liz McAreavey, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, added: “The £47 million economic benefit clearly illustrates the value that the convention bureau brings to the city. In addition to this, the bureau’s work supports jobs across a wide range of sectors in the city, both directly and indirectly." "It is vital that our policy-makers understand the role and impact of business tourism, which attracts high-spending visitors, many of whom will return to the city for holidays after attending business events here, and some even to live and work. It is a crucial component in promoting our city to the global community and has proven to be extremely successful.”

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The latest statistics from our Scotland Visitor Survey 2023 focuses on visitors' experiences at attractions, activities and events. Knowing what our visitors think and want is crucial, and their responses help build our future tourism activity. Read more about the full Scotland Visitor Survey 2023.

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What's Overwhelm...? It’s the mental equivalent of juggling too many balls and watching them all fall. But it’s also a signal; a reminder to pause, prioritize, and breathe. In a world that glorifies busyness, recognising overwhelm is the first step towards reclaiming our time and well-being. Grab a coffee and join us for the first of our Compassionate Connections sessions. #MentalHealth #WorkLifeBalance #Overwhelm

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What's in a name? It's a case of new government, new rebrand for hard-working colleagues at what was Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities which will go back to its former name, The Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government, as revealed by Heather Jameson While it's always good to see #localgov recognised on a departmental brass plate, I'm not going to get too excited about a move that will mean absolutely nothing to many of our citizens, unless they work in the office stationery or banner stands businesses. We can all discuss the practical merits of levelling up, and some will be sadder than others to see it disappear from Government nomenclature. However, it did, along with Brexit voting patterns, help shift the previously niche political topic of regional inequality into the political and media mainstream. We also shouldn't forget the excellent Michael Gove-inspired White Paper that started it all. There are still lessons to learn here, particularly about the importance of cities to wider regional economies and the need for system change at the heart of Whitehall. I think the big challenge for the new Government and re-named department is to move this agenda away from the centre - where it was beset and held back by national politics and a wasteful and expensive bidding culture - to a true partnership between local and national. That's why the forthcoming Take Back Control bill will be so important and worthy of scrutiny from across the sector. Remember, the future is local!

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Did you know that our team can help with Event Management? You may not have a permanent need for an Events Manager in your organisation so opting for a Virtual Assistant is the perfect solution.

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Valuable trip to see my peer group comms leads from across Surrey today. Plenty of good discussion, worthwhile learning and some areas came up where Runnymede Borough Council is ahead of the game, which is always pleasing. Topics included: ➡️ Tackling the perennial problem of service areas bringing comms into projects early enough to add value. Can you 'do some comms' isn't good enough, or fair on the professionals involved. ➡️ Importance of closing the feedback loop on consultation and engagement work, even when there's a difficult decision. ➡️ Consistent and approachable tone of voice across channels and in service-led communications. ➡️ Making social content people want to see drives audience growth so more see the material we want them to see. ➡️ Differentiate social content to play to a platform's strengths, doing so drives audience growth. ➡️ Reduce volume of content, focus on quality. Thanks to Catherine Jevans for bringing everyone together, (and 😡 to South Western Railway for delays which meant I missed the first 30 mins).

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Next in our series of guest editors, we'd like to introduce Kate Goodman MCIPD, a member of the CIPD and a Mental Health First Aid Instructor with many years of experience under her belt. In this Q&A, Kate shares insights on current challenges in the meetings and events industry and how strategic HR practices can support resilience and growth. Take a read 👉 https://lnkd.in/eBb3Tha7, and please share any of your own insights or challenges in the comments below 👇 #EDGEVenues #GuestEditor #HR #HRBestPractice #HRInEvents #MeetingsAndEvents #TechnologyWithPersonality

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If you're an unpaid carer, it's time to pop on the kettle and carve 15 minutes out of your hectic day. The National Carers Strategy needs to hear from you. What are your challenges, your hopes and fears? The federal government wants to hear your expertise ahead of drafting a new strategy (that will inform policies) that will impact you. This is a rare opportunity to be heard. Please take it. The link to the consultation paper is in Meredith Coote's post below. It's only four pages of mostly tick-a-box questions. There is space however, for off-piste thoughts so, go rogue! Grab yourself a cuppa and tell the decision-makers what life is like for unpaid carers and what we really need. Consultation period closes 13th September. Spread the word! #carers Carers Australia

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Every wally deserves a chance. Every wally deserves to be heard! This week, as is usually the case at the Chelmsford Breakfast Business Club , I was involved in several discussions on a wide range of topics, with my networking colleagues. One of these focused on the challenges of working with groups of people (committees, maybe?) and why some groups are trickier than others. We concluded that those made up of individuals from similar backgrounds, or whose membership might, in an ideal world, be more open-minded, are the most challenging. Hmmm, this is unfortunate. We decided and felt that the more closed a group, the more the organisation they represented was missing out. If we assume, the organisation is working towards a common purpose, diversity of viewpoint, opinion and background is crucial. Here are a few key reasons why: Enhanced Creativity and Innovation. Diverse groups bring variety. This variety can lead to more creative and innovative solutions because team members can approach problems from multiple angles. The combination of different viewpoints often sparks new ideas that a more homogenous group might not generate. Better Decision Making. Diverse teams tend to make better decisions because they consider a wider range of perspectives and are more likely to cast their net wider for information and influence. This comprehensive approach reduces the risk of consensus, where the desire for harmony leads to poor decision-making. Improved Problem-Solving. Teams with diverse members can draw on a broader range of experiences and knowledge, which is invaluable in problem-solving. These teams can assess and tackle challenges more effectively by compounding their varied expertise and approaches. Social Responsibility and Reputation. Embracing diversity is a key aspect of corporate social responsibility. Organisations that prioritise diversity are often seen as more ethical and socially responsible. This positive reputation can enhance their public image and appeal to customers, clients and new members. Diversity among groups working towards a common purpose, enriches the team's collective capabilities where individual members’ views and ideas are given a forum. Everyone feels more comfortable when participating, even if individual viewpoints aren’t fully embraced by others. In turn, this promotes a more inclusive and respectful environment, and enhances an organisation’s effectiveness. Everyone deserves a chance. Everyone has a voice. Nobody will hang around if they feel they cannot add some value to a collective, group or organisation. “When you find yourself on the side of the majority, you should pause and reflect.” – Mark Twain Thank you for reading. Enjoy your day! #Collaboration

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Casework is an essential component of an MP’s responsibilities. For new MPs, understanding and prioritizing casework is crucial, as it bridges the gap between constituents and Parliament. Effective casework ensures that vulnerable voices are heard and their issues are properly addressed. Find out more 📸 https://shorturl.at/uJnRd

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If dis/misinformation isn’t in your comms #risk register & #contingency plan (with rehearsals!), why not? Great LGC thought-provoker below from Georgia Turner Chart.PR MCIPR . Usually, because it’s hard to get the time, *and* get all the right people involved. But this is nothing less than #governance. Communications are not the cherry on the cake, or the court messenger with the scroll and bugle. Thinking up what to say and how, to whom and when “on the day” is the most irresponsible thing you can do. Bringing in an external expert like Georgia Turner Chart.PR MCIPR (or when she’s fully booked, me!) is a great way to get things going. #leadership #strategicCommunications #governance

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Colleges West Midlands Partnership Tackles Technology’s Environmental Impact The Colleges West Midlands partnership is taking a bold step toward sustainability with the GreenTech Training Course, addressing the challenge of balancing the benefits of technology with its environmental footprint. As the partnership looks toward 2030, GreenTech empowers Colleges to make eco-conscious decisions that enhance both operational efficiency and sustainability. By equipping educators with the tools and insights needed to adopt greener technologies, the initiative supports a shared vision of environmentally responsible education. With just five spots remaining before the January rollout, other West Midlands colleges have a unique opportunity to join this impactful initiative and lead the way in sustainable education. Interested in learning more? Contact me today to secure your place. #greentech #sustainability #greendigital #FE

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